UNTAMED

Part Forty Five

She felt elated as she entered the garden, there were so many ripe tomatoes to pick from.
They picked all the ripe tomatoes, then went for the eggs. They talked as they worked. Cindy answered all of her questions and she got to know that was how they behaved in the Circle house which was the name of their team. They did the work of police and military and navy and air force. Mark was a naval officer while Fast was an air force officer.
"Halima" she heard Beast's voice.
She did not even see him coming. Jason was standing by the door of the kitchen. Cindy went to meet him. Beast came closer to her. He was so big, she felt too small close to him but it made her feel safe.
"I'm off for a mission. I'm going to go with Jason and Ghost but Wild and Doc will be around"
"I know."
"You are safe with Wild and Doc."
"Please come back" she said throwing herself on him.
He did not push her away, he even pulled her closer.
"You don't need to worry about that, just promise you will talk with Wild. He can help with your trauma."
She nodded.
"But must Ghost go too? I don't want him to get hurt."
But Beast smiled, he was more handsome when he smiled.
"I see he had enchanted you already."
"What's that?"
"You like him."
She nodded.
"Not as I like you."
"Okay, let's stop here. And don't worry about Ghost" he said walking away.
She stood there for a long time.
"Halima" Cindy shouted her name from the kitchen door.
She picked the basket with eggs and went to meet Cindy. She stopped to carry the basket of tomatoes.
"We will take these to Church tomorrow" Cindy said carrying the tomatoes basket from her as she entered inside.
"Are you not afraid?" She asked Cindy.
"Other times but not today. He will not be on the ground."
"What does that mean?" She asked.
"Don't worry Halima, they will be okay. Wild is waiting for you" Cindy said going to the parlor.
"Hey Halima, come join me" Wild called to her pointing at a space on his seat. Sabrina was looking at the TV.
She went and sat down close to him and instead of feeling dread she felt safe.
"What's that on your head and face?" she asked Sabrina.
"Oh it's called hijab, I wear it when I'm off duty" Sabrina answered.
"I remember now. I used to wear it when I was little" she said.
"It's part of our costume" Sabrina said.
"It's not, it's just that Hausa and Fulani have confused their costume with Islamic costumes" Wild said.
"I'm not even going to argue with you" Sabrina said.
"I heard you are now having traumas of your experience with Chief. Do you want me to help you stop having them?" Wild asked.
She nodded. Cindy sat down at a chair opposite Sabrina's chair. Their chair was directly opposite the TV.
"Okay, I'm going to do that but I want you to choose from two options. If you want me go gradually, I will ask you questions, you will answer me and I will help you separate a trauma from reality, that could take weeks or months or I can make it stop as from today, but you may feel very scared and bad at first. But after few hours it will be over" Wild said.
"I can be free today?" she asked raising her head to look at him.
"But it will be hard for you" Wild answered.
"I don't care. I want it today."
"Okay. Look at the TV" Wild said.
She raised her head and gasped. It was a beautiful big room with many people. The chairs were arranged in a rectangular shape, there was just one person on one side of the smaller length. Someone on military uniform was standing at his back. The other sides were filled up. Even their backs had chairs and chairs with people with camera. There were microphones all over the table. Chief was sitting at the center of one of the length of the rectangle by the right which was opposite two men on military uniform and cap. One of the men on black uniform was making a speech. She saw another person, the one who gave her to Chief. She became afraid.
"Your fear is normal Halima. Yes that is Chief. Everything you are seeing is happening life. It is happening as you are watching it. Chief is trying to get you back. He wants us to release you so he can take you back and lock you up again, then he wants Beast to go to jail" Wild said.
She shook her head as her body vibrated from fear.
"Please don't let him do that" she pleaded.
"I promise he will never get his hands on you. That is why you must have courage to watch what will happen to Chief and all his men. Watch how he will become afraid and shake from fear. Watch us destroy his empire and clan. Watch how he will be arrested. You need to watch everything so you will know he is just a weak man, he is just powerless and a nobody. But you can stop...."
"No. I will watch. You promise he will never get me?"
"Yes, and you will see it with your eyes."
"I will watch."
"Okay. Let's go. Doc" Wild said.
The volume of the TV increased and she could hear the man.
"That's is Major, he is Sabrina's daddy and he is there to fight for you with his words and the flash drive you gave us."
She nodded.
"So we had to keep it away from the public because of our suspicions and investigations which had not been completed" Major said.
The way he spoke was sounding familiar. There was something about his English pronunciations.
"I can boldly say it's all lies. A propaganda by the military to protect a criminal and support my political enemy" Chief said.
His voice made her feel bad.
"I will want you to watch your words. I'm the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces" the man sitting alone said.
"That's the president" Wild said.
"I'm sorry Mr. President. I will retrace my words and be specific. General Ahmed is not saying the truth" Chief said.
"The IG?" the president said.
"We have evidence to show that General Ahmed is protecting a criminal. Selected men of the police force carried out their investigations and we have proofs that Obinna, a military officer carried out the murder of Chief's security men. we suspect he must have had an accomplice. Then he is a suspect of an attempted murder of Honorable Chief Esegie, arson and the kidnapping of one Miss Halima" the IG as the president called him said.
She gasped as she heard her name.
"But that is not true" she shouted.
"I know" Wild said.
"What of General Ahmed's claims? Did you look into Halima?" the president asked.
"Yes. She is an orphan who migrated from the North. Chief had rescued her from the street as a prostitute and gave her a good source of livelihood. Her landlady made the statement. She sometimes stayed in the boy's quarters of Chief's burnt building but the landlady had raised an alarm that she had not come back home hence leading to our investigation. One Mr. Onome, a witness had stated in a viral video which we also investigated that Miss Halima had ran to him for help and the said Obinna had prevented him from rescuing her. He is right now at University of Benin Teaching Hospital receiving treatment from a broken arm. I wrote a petition to the Chief of Defense Staff for the immediate release of Obinna which was rejected. The statement of General Ahmed is invalid because there is no proof and it does not tally" the IG said.
There was noise from the others which later stopped.
"But our tip was true and she showed signs of abuse, both sexually and physical and she had mentioned Chief Esegie as the man who had locked her up for fourteen years and raped her consecutively" Major said.
"It's only Major that is saying the truth" she said.
"I know" Wild said.
Chief started laughing as people started whispering amongst themselves.
"I can't believe how people can go so far to bring down a good man. Even though it had been a secret I have kept from the public, I'm being forced to say it out. I had a stroke fifteen years ago which rendered me incapable of sleeping with a woman" Chief shouted standing up.
The whole crowd started talking loud all pointing fingers at Major. But Chief was lying. She started crying.